Mumbai college student alleges rape by friend

A 20-year-old college student was allegedly raped by her friend after he laced a glass of water which she was drinking, with sedatives and forced himself on her when she was unconscious. The incident, which took place in Mankhurd on Wednesday, came to light after the girl regained full consciousness at Sion Hospital. She had earlier been rushed to Gajanan Hospital in Mankhurd by her family members who discovered her lying unconscious in a municipal school. At the time, it was believed she had consumed poison to commit suicide. It was only on Saturday that she narrated her story to her parents.

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The accused, Nihal Ansari, has been arrested and remanded to custody. According to the victim, the incident occurred when she, a commerce student, visited her male friend who she has known for the last five years. She told SUNDAY MiD DAY she drank a glass of water at the medical store owned by her friend’s father and fell unconscious. The victim said when she finally regained consciousness at the hospital yesterday, she experienced pain in her pelvic area and the family informed the doctors about the incident.

“My daughter went missing on Wednesday evening and we looked for her everywhere,” said the victim’s mother who works at a nearby English medium school as a cleaner. “It was only the next day when I went to the school early in the morning I found her lying on the floor of the school’s office,” added the distraught mother. The girl was then rushed to Gajanan Hospital where she was kept under observation till Thursday night. “We were told to shift her to Sion Hospital later in the night where she finally regained consciousness and was able to tell me what happened,” she said.

An FIR was filed in Mankhurd police station on Friday and the accused, Ansari was arrested. Dr Avinash Supe, dean of the hospital said, “After she regained consciousness and narrated the incident, we informed the police and a case was registered.” Dr Supe further added that the victim’s clothes’ samples and vaginal swabs were sent to Kalina forensic lab for testing on Friday. “She did not sustain any major injuries after the alleged sexual assault and her condition is stable as of now,” he said.

Shankarsingh Rajput, senior police inspector of Mankhurd police station, said, “A case was registered under section 376 and section 328 of the IPC. The accused was presented in court and will remain in police custody for the next few days. In his statement, the accused claimed he had mixed electrolyte powder in the water as the girl was feeling weak and after consuming it, she fainted. We are investigating the case.”